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Cover 2 of 12This is my cover of Ingrid Michaelson's "You and I." This is the first cover song I have learned on the Ukulele and it was so fun! I am falling more and more in love with this tiny instrument every time I pick it up. (Yes, part of that is due to the fact that I feel like a giant and it is amusing, but mostly because it has such an awesome and unique sound to it!) What do you guys think?

Every year, the two weekends before the Oscars, certain theaters will play the Best Picture Nominations in a all day marathon that spreads over two days. I have attended these marathons for the last 3 years now, and it is ALWAYS such a blast! As much as I adore going to the movies, I find it hard to find the time to see everything I actually want to see while it is still in theaters. I am also, a firm believer in movie marathons. So, this is a really fun way to see some incredible films! This year, I knew very little about most of the movies I would be seeing going in to the theater. The biggest surprise for me was the movie “Whiplash.” I would have to say that this one was my favorite overall. I would highly recommend this one to anyone who is interested in the music industry. It was such a powerful film about the danger in pushing yourself (or being pushed) too hard in the pursuit of the one thing you love more than anything else. The close second for me, was the movie “Boyhood.” It was a beautiful and unique film about what it looks like to grow up in this world today. The fact that virtually an entire cast would dedicate their lives for 12 years to make this one film, just blows me away. If that doesn’t show passion, and love for what you are doing, then I don’t know what does! (and you all know how much I love passionate people!)

Are there any good movies you have seen lately? Let me know, and I will add them to my ever-growing list of movies to watch!

I am currently in the middle of week 8 of the 52 Project! Even though it has been a challenge to make myself sit down and write at times, I am increasingly glad that I have decided to take this project on. It’s been pretty difficult to write these last couple weeks, but it is so rewarding once I have finally written a new song. I have to hold on to that feeling when it seems impossible to finish what I'm working on. So with that being said, I just want to take a moment to challenge anyone who is reading this to take that step outside of your comfort zone, towards your dreams/goals, and watch as your comfort zone expands and your passion for what you are pursing grow! If you are waiting for a sign, this is it. I promise it will be worth it.

I've Built These Walls(Music and lyrics by Sierra Rose)V1: The feeling’s the sameWhen we met, the whole world changedAnd I couldn’t hold on to the painSo I locked it away

Pre-Chorus:And I know I know I knowEveryone Goes

Chorus:Which side will you be on when I close my eyes?Which side will you be on in the morning time?Oh, I’ve built these walls. I’ve built these wallsFor everyone else,For myself.

V2:One brick at a timeYou’ve seen the other sideAnd if we life here real still,I will fill you in on all I feel.Pre-Chorus:And I know I know I knowEveryone GoesChorus:Which side will you be on when I close my eyes?Which side will you be on in the morning time?Oh, I’ve built these walls. I’ve built these wallsFor everyone else,For myself.

Bridge:And we’ll fade into the sheetsYou and meChorus: (x2) Which side will you be on when I close my eyes?Which side will you be on in the morning time?Oh, I’ve built these walls. I’ve built these wallsFor everyone else,For myself.﻿﻿﻿﻿

“I’ve Built These Walls” was the last song I finished in 2014. It is one of my favorite songs that I’ve written so far. I think once you’ve been hurt by someone you love or care about, your tendency is to protect yourself…often times by building walls. Maybe you fabricate some excuse that you are building those walls for other people, because they can’t handle who you truly are. It is all to protect them. But the truth is that it is all for yourself, so you never have to feel the same hurt again. It is a scary thing, because sometimes you don’t even realize you are building those walls…it has become a natural part of you, and how you relate to people. This song is about that. This song is about realizing your tendency to build walls. In my mind, this song is about a married couple, where some walls have been built in their relationship. The chorus is asking the question “Which side of the bed will you be on when I go to sleep, and which side will you be on when I wake up,” but it also asks the question “Which side of this wall will you be on tonight? Which side will you be on in the morning?” Breaking down those walls is one of the most difficult battles, but there is a comfort in it too. There is comfort in being transparent with the person you love and not allowing yourself to (re)build walls where they don’t need to be built. We all share different parts of ourselves with different people in our lives…but the bond between spouses is one where those restrictions don’t apply, where you can’t afford to build walls.

That’s what this song is to me. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it. What are your thoughts on it?

I truly believe that one of the best things you can do for yourself, regardless of what career path you take in life, is to read. Reading (not to mention watching movies and television) opens up so many doors to places and experiences that you may never encounter in your own life. It is a powerful way to gain knowledge, learn from others' experiences, increase your tolerance and love for people, and hear some amazing stories along the way. I have always loved reading biographies or autobiographies of people from the entertainment industry. I find it fascinating to hear from people who are doing what I would love to do, what I dream of doing, and how they are going about it, how they are handling it. These last few months, I have really made it a point to get back into reading books apart from things for school, and doing it just for myself instead. I’ve started with two books written by a couple of the fiercest, most hilarious ladies in the industry.

Tina Fey’s Bossypants and Ellen DeGeneres’s Seriously…I’m Kidding

(I have to admit that I am currently not finished reading Ellen’s book yet, but perhaps I will write another post later once I have. I’m sure there are about a hundred more quotes I will want to discuss.)

Anyway, I have compiled two quotes from each book that I think are really important. Here they are in all their glory :

1) “Do your thing and don’t care if they like it.” - Tina Fey I think to be a good artist, you have to be willing to break through some of the norms of the industry. In doing that, there will always be SOMEONE who won’t like what you are doing. Learning to be okay with that is a huge battle. You can’t please every one, so you just have to follow your heart and “do your own thing.” Who cares if they don’t like it?

2) “When you take risks you learn that there will be times when you succeed and there will be times when you fail, and both are equally important.” - Ellen DeGeneres. Entering into the entertainment industry is a huge risk in itself, but in that, there are little risks that you have to take along the way. I’m the kind of person who has to put 100% into whatever it is I’m doing at the time. If I’m working on a song, 100% of my energy is focused there. If I’m working on something for school, 100% of my energy has to be in it. Typically, I don’t even entertain the idea of failing. If I’m doing something, I will do it until I get it right. But sometimes that doesn’t work. Sometimes, you simply have to accept that whatever it is isn’t working and be able to learn from that and move on from it. Failing and succeeding will teach you vastly different things, but the things they will teach you will become invaluable to you. I promise.

3) “To me, beauty is about being comfortable in your own skin. It’s about knowing and accepting who you are.” - Ellen DeGeneres As a young woman who has had my own struggles with self-acceptance, this quote really hit home for me. It is easy to forget that the things that are different, or quirky about us are the things that make us who we are. It is easy to slip into comparing yourself with others. I think this is a great reminder that it’s okay to take some time to figure out who you are. And once you have a grasp on that, spend some time learning how to love who you are. I imagine this is something everyone can relate to, which just shows that it is something we can all learn and do together. Be gentle with people. We are all struggling with the same basic things.

4) “Last advice of the book; everything will be fine.” - Tina Fey Following your dreams is scary. Going out on a limb…running past the bounds of your comfort zone with no hopes of returning to the safe little box you’ve kept yourself in is absolutely terrifying. But in that, in doing what you were created to do, there is joy and there is hope. Everything will be fine. That’s something we can count on. Let it be well with your soul.

﻿This Friday February 13, 2015﻿I will be doing a show at The Paramount, OKC!From 8:00 - 10:00pm(7 North Lee Avenue, Oklahoma City, OK 73102)

Come spend your Valentine's Day Eve with me!

Coming Next Week :A video of one of my favorite songs that I’ve written : “I’ve Built These Walls.”

When I first picked up a guitar, I was burdened with the task of teaching myself. I remember it being a really frustrating process because it had been so long since I was a beginner at something…especially a beginner at something related to music. During that time, I was reading a lot about The Beatles. I probably read 20 different books about them. Some of the books where just about Paul, some were just about John (I would have loved to read just about Ringo, or just about George…but I could never find any books like that…) Anyway, I learned something very valuable from the lives of those songwriters that has stuck with me.

Here it is…

Lennon and McCartney, before they were The Beatles, were in a little band called The Quarrymen. When they weren’t playing with their own band, they would travel in a bus for miles to go see other artists perform. They would wait until the show was over and go up to the musician and….get this…ASK THEM HOW TO PLAY THAT CHORD they saw. They worked so hard just to learn a new chord?! Are you kidding me?? I have the whole world at my fingertips. I could learn anything I wanted to…and I don’t even have to leave the comfort of my bed. Why am I not doing more?

That’s what kept me going when I was starting out on the guitar. That’s what still keeps me going now. I want to have the same drive they had. I always want to be hungry to learn something new. There is so much out there! The possibilities are absolutely endless. I want to do more. I want to push myself in every area I can. I could learn anything I want to, which is a luxury I think I take for granted far too often. It is so easy to slip into complacency, and the fight with motivation is sometimes a very daunting fight, but it is one that can be won. And really, it is a fight that has to be won.

The first month of the 52 Project went extremely well! It feels so good to be able to say that. This month, I have written three songs (two of which I really love) and I learned a song by Daddy Love called “Just Enough to Go Home.” I am really excited to see where this project leads me this year. I hope February treats me as well as January did!

Here are the names of the songs I wrote this month :The Engagement Song (On Guitar)Into My Own Future (On Guitar)I’m Willing to Bet (On Ukulele)